Winter coat: where'd you buy yours?

bonus points for glove recommendations

I was at Costco and saw both
$10 for smartphone touchscreen-compatible gloves; not sure if they're good
Bought some gloves at the dollar store thinking "gloves are gloves"
I was wrong

tried to stay away from the jacket/winter coat section in Costco to not blow money
and realized they're preparing for something
Well, today the snow came. It's what they were preparing for.
Time to actually go and look out those jackets to buy one out of needing it now.

Low and behold, it was a lie. Just appearances.
The jackets looked the part. But when you get up close and touch/feel inside, you realize they're all pretty much useless and paper-thin.
Air is insulating, and with a think jacket, there is no air.
Sure it looked nice outside. And had sherpa lined inside. But it was thin.

Patagonia, Columbia, and North Face seem like good brands (costs more)
I hear Arcteryx is warm
their jacket is also $600...Seems a bit much

 

Patagonia stuff is legitimately great. Excellent customer service too. I work outside and spend a lot of time outside for fun and the Patagonia items I have are head and shoulders above any competitors that I've tried. I have a winter jacket, a couple pairs of synthetic pants, a fleece, a UV-resistant work shirt, and a big duffel from them.

Downsides are the stuff is usually pretty heavily branded and yuppie-associated and the cost is high. I have a friend who works there and has hooked me up in the past so I don't pay the insane prices but even at full retail...just like with truck stuff, if you have the means and you're going to actually use it, it's worth buying something nice and keeping it forever. Can't get rid of the yuppie vibe but oh well

 

This year I bought a real nice wool vest from Filson.... https://www.filson.com/

 

Do you run warm? run cold?

I buy uninsulated water resistant and wind blocking gloves and that's usually all I need outside of hunting. I run really, really warm. Check the fishing section at cabelas but I have bought a few pairs from walmart as well.


winter jacket? that's a hoodie. Maybe my Carhartt if it's really windy and wet.

 

I have a north face 3 in1 rain jacket/650 down zip in for what I use most of the time it keeps me warm down to about 25°. After that I have a North Face down parka. I was in -10 in Wyoming and it was still really comfy and warm.

 

I second Patagonia. Their stuff can be pricey but well worth it. I have multiple items that are going 7+ years

 

Carhartt. Numerous levels of insulation, styles, & weight. I have several. They work.

 

3rd Patagonia. Again you pay up but great for many years. Also if you get a tear in it they will usually repair for free or warranty. I got a rip while snowboarding last year on a 6 year old outer layer. It was a model they didn't make anymore and gave me my choice of upgrades! No questions asked

I haven't gone with north face in over ten years. As some point in time it was rebranded and I believe sold (vanity fair?) And it seems quality went down in my book

Edit- the rip/tear was my fault... shit happens while boarding in the woods

 

Any of the mentioned above will do you right. It’s worth paying the extra for quality and comfort in this scenario. Some of the most tech jackets are in fact “paper thin” as they are meant to be layered under. Although I doubt you’ll find them at Costco. To throw some other brand names out there, Volcom and 686 make great outerwear, however the styling may be a bit less civilian/urban and more ski/snowboard in style. Helly Hansen makes nice things as well, last I checked they have a lifetime warranty, same as with Patagonia. Dakine has really high bang for your buck on gloves In my opinion. I like the leathers. Buy something that is at least 8,000mm waterproof and 10,000 breathability and you should be good to go in most CO weather. If you are going for a down insulated mid puffy then the waterproofing may be around 5,000. Taped or partially taped seams are a plus. If you’re on the front range and plan on spending most of your time there the winter weather will probably swing pretty hard so you may not have to go too bomber. I also like just a good Ol fashioned heavy wool coat a lot of times.

 

CARHARTT

 

https://workwearcommand.com/carhartt-extreme-yukon-arctic-coat-review/

 

Carhartt hoodie, but if it gets real bad a Carhartt coat

 

+1 on this ^^^

 

It seems like all of my jackets are Columbia. They just seem to last for me. They have all sorts of styles from fleece, ski/sb, and parkas. They have sales and outlets that always beat the prices of patagonia, spyder. But yeah, still gonna have to cough up a couple hundo. I have no experience wearing carhartt but others swear by them.

 

Carhartt all you’ll ever need. Choose you warmth level and go

 

I have an Oakley snowboarding jacket with a giant jedi hood currently. Have been out boarding in -10F with an underarmour mock underneath and was fine (hands froze.. gloves sucked).
Had a Burton winter jacket prior and loved it but wore it out after 15 years.
Basically anything meant for snowboarding/skiing usually works wonders. They anticipate wind chill and wetness and build the jackets accordingly.

 

There is a reason why outdoor workers only talk about carhartt. It is the go-to for cold and wet.

If you want a coat on a budget, however, buy a Walls. Those have kept me plenty warm in the past and I never felt bad about getting them oily/muddy.

 

My wife has a Patagonia and then REI Outlets came out with their verison for half the price and it works just the same.

 

I have a North Face bomber jacket and an old Carhartt I wear a hoodie under. Both are plenty warm, and I live in a place it can be -40
The North Face coat just looks nicer.

 

Carhartt for outer wear.

For hand warmth.
Look to leather chopper mittens with thinsulate and sherpa lining.

Yes, I know, gloves are more available. The mittens will allow your fingers to keep each other warm and have the heat from your palm. Gloves effectively separate each finger, so each finger supplies its own heat.

To me, winter fashion is about me being warm. Looks are secondary.